Unsung Heroes

History's 10 Unsung Heroes

She will forever be known as the first woman to run for the U.S. presidency — in 1872. If you thought that women didn’t start running for office until after 2000, you’re off by a century thanks to the bravery and boldness of Ms. Woodhull. She took a major step forward for the women’s suffrage movement, especially considering that the 15th amendment was ratified only a few years earlier without addressing the issue of women’s right to vote. Ms. Woodhull also was the first woman to found a newspaper and run a brokerage firm on Wall Street. She gave the first major push to social reform that would empower women for generations to come.